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Green technologies, complementarities, and policy

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolo Barbieri

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy)

  • Alberto Marzucchi

    (Gran Sasso Science Institute, Social Sciences, L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Ugo Rizzo

    (Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy)

Abstract
The present study explores the technological complementarities between green and non green inventions. First, we look at whether inventive activities in climate-friendly domains de pend on patenting in related technological domains that are not green. Based on patent data filed over the 1978–2014 period, we estimate a spatial autoregressive model using co-occurrence matrices to capture technological interdependencies. Our first finding highlights that the develop ment of green technologies strongly relies on advances in other green and in particular non-green technological domains, whose relevance for the green economy is usually neglected. Building on this insight, we detect the non-green complementary technologies that co-occur with green ones and assess whether environmental policies affect this particular instantiation of technologies at the country level. The results of the instrumental variable approach confirm that while envi ronmental policies spur green patenting, they do not displace the development of the non-green technological pillars upon which green inventions develop.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolo Barbieri & Alberto Marzucchi & Ugo Rizzo, 2021. "Green technologies, complementarities, and policy," SPRU Working Paper Series 2021-08, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:sru:ssewps:2021-08
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    Cited by:

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Green technology; patent data; environmental policy; network-dependent innovation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation

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